Year of contrast in news

AT A quick glance 2015 was without doubt a massive year for news on the Sunshine Coast.

From major, game-changing developments being given the go-ahead to viral videos to water tower collapses, there's been a swag of stories we've been able to bring to you.

Here's a look back at some of the major headlines of the past 12 months.

Cyclone Marcia: It looked for all money Mother Nature was about to wreak mayhem down on the region as she cut a swathe through central Queensland in February.

The Coast was quickly battening down its hatches, preparing for a blast, but escaped very lightly in comparison to regions like Rockhampton, Yeppoon and surrounding areas, which felt the full force of the events.

Mid-year mayhem: Mother Nature again touched the lives of locals in early May.

A catastrophic rain system dumped on the south-east, dropping hundreds of millimetres throughout the Brisbane, Moreton Bay and Sunshine Coast regions.

Swiftwater rescue teams were called into action in the south, while the Bruce Hwy was cut off for hours, leaving commuters stranded in ever-rising floodwaters.

Tragically, the weather event claimed five lives in Caboolture, as cars were swept off a bridge at King John Creek, claiming the lives of three people, a 74-year-old man, 39-year-old woman and a five-year-old boy, in one car, while a 49-year-old father was killed but his two children, a 21-year-old woman and a 16-year-old boy narrowly survived.

A 75-year-old man also died after his car was swept off the road at Burpengary, his wife surviving by clinging to a tree until rescuers could arrive.

Falcons lose Ackers: On June 20 a Francis Molo shoulder charge gone wrong in a rugby league game at Norths changed the lives of many.

Popular Sunshine Coast Falcons prop James Ackerman lay stricken in a coma in hospital and ultimately died from his injuries suffered in the tackle, never regaining consciousness from the hit he suffered during the Intrust Super Cup clash.

The 25-year-old father of two young kids, Ollie and Milly, was a huge presence for the Falcons.

Calm, quietly-spoken, dedicated, hard-working and universally respected, Ackerman's passing sparked a huge outpouring of support from the Coast and wider rugby league communities for the Ackerman family, with hundreds of thousands raised for Ackerman's wife Saraa and his two children while more than 1500 mourners turned out to bid farewell at a touching Sunshine Coast Stadium funeral service.

Farewell to a friend: It was another farewell that captured the Coast in July.

The SS Dicky, an iconic shipwreck which Dicky Beach was named after was dug out of the sand and removed by the Sunshine Coast Council, to be preserved in a land-based tribute to the wreck.

Hundreds turned out to the epic extraction operation to capture a few final snaps of the landmark.

Close call for Fanning: One of the Coast's favourite sons showed the world what we already knew about him at South Africa's Jeffreys Bay in July.

As fellow Aussie surfer Mick Fanning battled off a sizeable Great White Shark that launched at him during a World Surf League heat, Coolum's Julian Wilson began paddling towards his mate with no thought for his own safety.

In emotional scenes, Fanning reappeared over the crest of a wave, swimming for safety, before the pair were picked up and reunited back on the beach.

Wilson's heroics earned himself worldwide plaudits for his selfless actions.

A region divided: Plans for a beachside development at Yaroomba divided many communities in the region.

Sekisui House's proposal drove many into action north of the Maroochy River with some huge community rallies highlighted the actions the proposal kick-started, with many arguing against the plans on the basis of current planning regulations.

Sunshine Coast Council eventually voted not to amend its planning scheme to accommodate the development.

City of Colour: On October 1 the future face of the Sunshine Coast changed forever.

Aura, Stockland's "City of Colour", was given the official go-ahead from the State Government after a drawn-out negotiation on the Infrastructure Agreement was finally reached.

Deputy Premier Jackie Trad was on-site at the official launch of the new city, a 30-year project set to house 50,000 people.

Inskip Point sinkhole: Campers were shocked awake in the early hours in late September after a huge hole opened up on the beach at Inskip Point, swallowing a number of cars and caravans, with some campers only narrowly escaping.

Coast to coast car chase: Police officers from two states as well as aerial support were called upon on February 5 after a car chase started in Beerwah and ended in gunshots being fired at officers on the Pacific Motorway at Tugun.

The offenders were on the run after multiple alleged carjackings, before the dramatic arrest unfolded.

Kawana Way mayhem: On October 16 Lou O'Brien and her kids were swept from the road driving along Kawana Way when a Sunshine Coast Public University Hospital water tank ruptured sending 2.7 million litres of water across the road.

Ms O'Brien likened the collapse of the tank to an explosion, and recalled a wall of water sweeping her from the road.

Mr Palmer is currently facing well-publicised business issues with a number of his mining entities.

Food and Wine Festival fail: Well known restaurateur Jim Berardo's Berardo's Restaurant collapsed and was liquidated in May, throwing into jeopardy the future of the Noosa Food and Wine Festival and leaving a number of creditors out of pocket.

Berardo has since bowed out, but a food and produce festival will return to Noosa in 2016 thanks to the owners of Sheraton Noosa.

Funeral overtime charges buried: The Daily took up the fight to have a 'grief tax' scrapped by Sunshine Coast Council, after a local funeral director took issue with two families being billed funeral overtime charges incurred by council staff after two burials at Caloundra.

The fees arose from the back-to-base travel to Kullangor for the cemetery staff, with the two families, via the directors, slapped with a total of $354 in overtime fees.

Cr Greg Rogerson led the fight to have the charges scrapped, which, with the Daily's support and plenty of public outcry, was successfully achieved in October, as Coast councillors agreed to scrap the controversial overtime system and create a more transparent, clearly defined billing system.